Bread slicing and wrapping machine



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Junel8, 1937. L. FERENCI BRED SLICING AND WRAPPING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 19, 1932 QAM @QN NRW N NGE June 8, 1937. L. FERENCI BREAD SLICING AND WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Feb. 19, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 mmm,

Nm. M NNN N mwN IJune 8, 1937. L.. FERENCI BREAD SLICING AND WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Feb. 19, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENToR @Z QRNEY .QNN 'l s...|\nu Y QN KQ@ .mwlwymmr @N www June 8, 1937. L. FERENcl BREAD SLICING AND WRPPING` MACHINE 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb 19 Patented` June 8, 1937 2,082,945 BREAD SLICING AND WRAPPING MACHINE Lester Ferenci, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application February 19, 1932, Serial No. 594,101

43 Claims.

This invention relates to mapping machines, particularly to machines for wrapping bread and the like. Its general object is to produce a machine of this nature which is simpler and cheaper 5 than the high priced high speed two man operated machines commonly used in this art, and

which can be tended by one man instead of two,

and to produce as high a quality of work while retaining substantially all the convenience, ease l of adjustment and ranges of sizes handled by the more expensive machines.

To this end, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved mechanism for spreading the paper in the path of the loaf.

Still another object is to provide such a machine which can be readily converted in the bakery between runs to slice and/or wrap bread ioaves. l

Another object of the invention is to simplify 2c machines of this type by eliminating all moving tuckers requiring some separate operating structure. For this purpose it is an object of the invention to combine one set of tuckers with the lifter table for movement therewith.

5 Another object is to make such a machine exceptionally easy to adjust for a run of differentv sized loaves by means which through one manual operation adjusts a number of folding and sealing parts at once.

It is an object of this invention to provide a reliable and simple conveyor system which will receive and deliver the loaves at the same end and atA convenient levels to be handled by one man; furthermore this conveyor system is arranged so that it will Without change forward loaves through a slicer when the Slicer is used. A featurefof this cnveyor systemis that the loaves are moved continuouslynot intermittently on the main horizontal conveyors. Y

i bars in ,such a manner that each push bar car-f 55 ries along one loaf at a time, thus eliminatingV the necessity of devices for separating the loaves in the machine. From the conveyor chain the 4 loaves are elevated to a higher level on which a reciprocating plunger pushes the same through the slicing device upon a lifter which raises the loaf to a still higher level where the loaf, which has been engaged with and been partially en- Wrapped in a suitable wrapper of waxed paper fed to it and cut from a roll in the machine, is pushed past suitable folder and heater plates for completing the folding of the wrapper and sealing the same, the finished package being discharged upon a deliverybelt. The arrangement of the machine in different levels has for one of its objects the reducing of the iioor space occupied by the machine.

The paper is fed intermittently, the paper feed mechanism being operated from an eccentric through a ratchet. As the feed rollers and knife are stationarily mounted they require no adjustments. The only adjustment provided on the paper feed is to set the length of the paper required by diflerent sizes of loaves to be wrapped. The adjustment of the whole machine for loaves of different sizes is very simple as the folder plates, heater plates, side guards and belts are all attached to the same pair of movable supporting bars adjusted by a handle on-a right and left hand screw. Only the end-tuckers which are mounted on the lifter require-separate adjustment. p

The slicing device is mounted on two slidable rods and is readily brought out of the path of the loaf if desired by simply operating a crank handle. An easily attachable table or bridge is then used to cover the slicer space. A locking Y device is provided to make this manipulation of the slicer impossible'while the parts of the ma chine on the slicer level are in operating posi-- "tion, l

The slicer itself is mounted on rubber cushions to eliminate any vibration or noise. The slicer is equipped with a separate motor drive provided with a standard safety switch so that the motor can drive the slicer only when the latter is in the slicing position.

Another important feature on this machine is that a feeler or registering iinger placed in the path of the incoming loaves operates a control or knockout so that no paper is fed if one or more of the spaces on the loaf-conveyor are empty. y

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this speciiication and in which like characters of reference designate the same or like parts:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the combined slicing and wrapping machine; Fig. 2 is a top view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the loaf pusher mechanism for moving the loaf through the Slicer; Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the machine seen from line 4 -4 of Fig. 1 with the slicer in nonoperative position;

Figs. 5 to 11 are detail side elevations showing the successive steps in making the bottom fold;

Figs. 12 to 14 are detail side, end and plan views respectively showing the manner of making the l5 side fold;

' Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a finished package produced by the combined slicing and wrapping machine;

Fig. 16 is a plan view of the slicer locking device; 20'and Fig. 1'7 is a side elevation of the same.

In carrying the invention into effect there is provided means for forwarding articles to be sliced and Wrapped, slicing means, means actuated by engagement with an article on said forwarding means to feed a predetermined length of material from a reel of wrapping material, means for severing the web of Wrapping material at a suitable distance from its leading end to form a Wrapper blank, means for positioning the severed wrapper blank to be engaged by a sliced article, mechanism for pushing an article from said forwarding means through said slicing means into engagement with said wrapper blank to partially enwrap it about the circumference of the sliced article, means acting to complete the circumferential enwrapping of the article, and means for folding the end flaps of the wrapper blank to complete the wrapping of the sliced article. In the best forms of construction contemplated said forwarding means includes a horizontal conveyor, a reciprocating elevator for receiving the articles directly from said conveyor at one level and lifting them to a delivery level, and said slicing means includes a slicer frame, oscillating knife frames carried by the Slicer frame, eccentrics on the shaft of the motor connected to the knife frames, manually operable means to move the slicer fra-Ine in and out of operative position, and means for locking 50 the slicer frame in operative or non-operative position. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the wrapping material feed includes a pair of cooperating feed rolls, a drive shaft, mechanism for driving said feed rolls from said 55 drive shaft, anda feeler arranged to engage the advancing articles in said forwarding means and connected to said mechanism to control the same, and said severing means includes a ledger plate, a knife, a cam, means actuated by said cam to 60 cause the knife to cut oif the wrapping material on the ledger plate, including a yielding connection, and manually operable means for actuating said knife to sever the wrapping material. In the best forms of construction contemplated 65 also the wrapper positioning means includes a reciprocating article lifter having a guide through which the wrapping material is fed, means for holding a portion of the wrapping material stationary While said lifter is being lowered to par- 70 tially withdraw it from said guide so that when the article is pushed through the Slicer onto the lifter the wrapping material will be partially enwrapped about the circumference of the article, and said means for completing the circumferential 75 enwrapping of the article includes a folder loop adapted to draw the wrapping material over the top of the article so that the upward movement of the lifter will fold the wrapping material over the remaining side of the article. In the preferred embodiment, also, the means for folding the -end aps of the wrapper includes top end fold plates, side end fold plates, bottom end fold plates, and adjustable supporting bars on which said plates are mounted. These various means and parts may be widely varied in construction within the scope of the claims for the particular machine selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible concrete embodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the specific construction shown and described.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, thewrapping machine consists of two side frames 20 and 2| and of two end frames 22 and 23. The entire machine, except the slicer, is driven by a motor 24 mounted on a bracket 25 supported by end frame 22. Motor 24 is equipped with a gear 25 driving a gear 21 on drive shaft 28 having a standard friction clutch, not shown, which is operated by a. fork lever 29 loosely mounted on a longitudinal supporting shaft 3B mounted in end frame 22 and lug 3l. Lever 29 is equipped with an arm 32 actuated by a cam piece 33 on hand lever 34 pivoted on stud 35. Drive shaft 28 also carries a gear 36 driving another gear 31 mounted on cam shaft 38 supported in side frames 2B and 2|.

The loaves L, or other articles to be wrapped, are placed on a feed table 39 supported by transverse shafts 40, 4l, and 42. Shaft 4l] is mounted in bearings of side frames 2i! and 2| while shafts 4| and 42 are at each end supported in lugs 43 and 44 respectively mounted on shafts 30 and 55. The latter supporting shaft 45 is mounted in end frame 22 and lug 46, Figs. 1 and 4.

Each loaf is individually advanced by one of a number of pusher bars 41 mounted on a pair of lugs 48 on two parallel endless conveyor chains 49 which are driven from sprockets 50 on shaft 40 over idler sprockets 5l yon shaft 42. Sprocket 50' on shaft 40 is driven through a chain 52 from a sprocket 53 mounted on the cam shaft 38. Chain 52 is led over an idler sprocket 5d and also drives a sprocket 55 which is mounted on shaft 56 supported by side frames 20 and 2l.

The loaves L are pushed by the pusher bars 41 onto an elevator or lifter plate 51 carried by bearing brackets 58 which are supported by a rod 59 through which the lifter plate 51 is elevated by an arm Bil attached to a cam lever 8| pivoted on shaft 28 and actuated through a roller 62 from a double cam 63 on shaft 38. Rod 59 is furthermore equipped with a guide lever B4 pivoted on a stud 65 of side frame 20. Upon a .loaf arriving on lifter plate 51, the latter is raised to the higher level of the slicing device into which the loaf is then pushed by a slotted pusher arm 66 mounted on a guide bracket 61 slidably mounted on shafts 68 which are held stationary by a shaft 69 on one end and a bracket 10 on the other. Bracket 10 is supported by a shaft 1l mounted in side frames 20 and 2l. To guide bracket 61 is attached a gear rack 12 operated from a gear 13 mounted on shaft 14 supported from bracket 10 and carrying another gear 15 driven alternately in opposite directions by a reciprocating gear rack 16 operated by a lever 11 pivoted on shaft 18 on side frame 20. Lever 11 is actuated by a cam lever 19 and shaft 18 having a roller 60 engaging with a cam track of cam 63. In order to secure engagement of rack 16 with gear 15,

die

the former is held by a guide roller 8| pivoted on stud 82.

' Pusher arm 66 takes the loaf L from the lifter plate 51 and, advances it across the slicer table 83, Figs. 1 and 4. which is equipped with 'adjustable side guards 84 and top guards 85, pushing it through the vertically oscillating knife or saw blades 86 of the slicing mechanism which are disposed in slots of the slicing table and arranged ln two knife frames 81 and 88 in such a manner that their cutting edges are staggered in the direction of the advancing movement of the loaf, the blades of rear frame 88 entering the loaf shortly after the rear edges of the blades of forward frame 81 have passed into the advancing loaf. With this arrangement, the advantage is gained that the'side pressure on the blades 86 in each set is sustained by the thickness of two slices of bread, since the blades on each frame are spaced the thickness of. two slices and the blades on one frame are staggered the thickness of a slice with respect to the blades on the other frame, thus eliminating crooked cr uneven cuts.

Pins on the upper ends of the blades 86 are held in lugs 89 of the frames 81 and 88 while pins on their lower ends engage with grooves in tension levers 90, so that each blade has the proper permanent tension. Frames 81 and 88 on their upperends are swingablymounted in guide shoes 9| slidably supported in slicer frame 92. The lower ends of frames 81 and 88 are pivoted on eccentric rods 93 and 93 mounted on eccentrics on shaft extension 95 of a motor 96 mounted on the bottom of slicer frame 92. This portion of the slicing mechanism fornis the subject matter of Patent #2,011,043, granted August 13, 1935 on my copending application S. N. 533,829, filed April 29, 1931.

To frames 81 and 88 and eccentric rods 93 and 9d are also pivoted guide levers 91 loosely mounted on studs 98 in slicer frame 92. The latter is mounted on rubber cushions 99 in supporting lugs |00 fastened to guide rods |0| slidably mounted in side frames 20 and 2|. The guide rods ||l| on their ends are connected by a bracket |02, Fig. 2, carrying a threaded shaft |03 engaging in a threaded bearing |04 mounted in side frame 20. Shaft |03 has a square extension |05 carrying a hand crank |06. By turning the crank |06, the rods |0| thus will move in or out, carrying the slicer frame 92 with them, thereby enabling the whole Slicer to be moved out of the path of the loaf if desired. Frame 20 on one side carries a resiliently mounted lock lever |01 engaging in one or the other of the two notches in the top of one of the rods |0| when either in slicing or in non-operative` position, thereby holding the Slicer mechanism securely in either position. The slicer is equipped with a standard safety switch. not shown, which lprevents the Slicer motor from being started when the slicer` is not in working position.

From the slicer table 83 the loaf L is pushed by arm 66 onto a lifter |08, Figs. 1 and 4, mounted on a supporting bracket |09 actuated from a lever ||0 pivoted on shaft 18 and having an extension engaging by means of a roller ||2 in la track of cam 63. Lifter |08 is equipped with two guide. shoes ||3 slidably mounted between guide bars ||4 on side frames 20 and 2|. By pushing the loaf onto the lifter |08, the loaf engages with the waxed paper or other wrapping material as will be now described.

The paper web W is fed from a reel R, Fig. 4, held by two cones ||5 mounted on a shaft 6 supported in bearings of brackets ||1 fastened to end frame 23. The paper web' W from the reel R passes over an idler roller ||8 and a floating roller H9, Fig. 1, into the space between the feed rollers 20 and |2|. Feed roller |20 is mounted on a shaft |22 supported by brackets |23 attached to side frames 20 and 2| Idler roller I8 is mounted on a shaft |24 also supported by brackets |23. Floating roller i9 is mounted on a shaft |25 guided between bars |26 fastened to brackets ||1 and |23. Shaft |22 carrying feed roller |20 has a gear |21 driven by a gear |28 mounted on shaft |29. The latter also has mounted thereon a gear |3| driving it through a standard one-way ball or roller clutch, not shown, thus allowing shaft |29 to turn in one direction only as the gear |3| is actuated from a rocking gear segment |32 pivoted on stud |33.

`Segment |32 has an-arm |34 which, through a The hub of disc |46 is equipped with a pin |41 through which it is driven by a lever |48 pivoted to a crank |49 mounted on shaft 38. As long as lever |48 engages with the pin |01, the disc is driven thus operating the paper feed in the manner described. But if a loaf is missing in the feed, it is desirable that the paper feed mechanism stop to avoid wasting of the paper. This is achieved by placing a feeler or registering finger |50 in the path of the incoming loaf forwarded by the conveyor chains 49.

The feeler or registering finger |50, Fig. l, is mounted on a pivot |5| equipped with a lever |52 which is connected through a rod |53 with a lever |58 pivoted to a stud |55. Lever |54 carries a roller |56 which, in the down position of level` |50, lies directly in the path of the swinging lever |48. When a loaf passes the registering finger |50 the latter will be pressed down by the weight of the loaf, thereby, through rod |53, lifting the lever |54 so that roller |56 is out of the path of lever |48, the latter remaining in engagement with pin |41. If there is no loaf to press down the registering finger |50. the lever |54 will remain in its down position and roller 56 will then trip the lever |48 out of engagement with pin |41, thereby stopping the paper feed. Lever |48 on its next turn automatically again engages with pin |41 if the roller |56 is out of the way. otherwise the latter will keep disengaged. In order to operate the finger |50 by the slightest pressure, the lever |54 is equipped with a balance weight |51. The feed roller |2, Figs.

l, 2, 4, and 5, which is made in sections to effect better contact with the paper, is mounted on a shaft |58 which carries a gear |59 driven from a gear |60 on shaft |22. the shaft |58 being mounted in swingable bearing bracket |6| pivoted on shaft |29. The brackets |6| have depending arms |62 engaging with a cam |63 on shaft |64 movable by a hand lever |65, as shown in Fig. 5.

'This arrangement is made for lifting the top feed roller |2| for threading in the paper web W by hand when a new paper roll is started.

The web W is fed by the rollers |20 and 2| onto acuttingtable |86, Fig. 5, carrying a ledger knife bracket |69. 'I'his spring mounting has the object of producing continuous tension of the knife |68 against the ledger plate |61, thereby as suring a clean cut and automatic sharpening of the knife during operation.

Shaft |10 is equipped with a handle |30 for the purpose of disengaging shaft |10 from forked brackets 1| thereby enabling the entire knife mounting to be removed for ready replacement of the knife. By pressing down hand lever |30,

shaft |10 turns the sleeves i12 thus disengaging the couplings between sleeves |12 and |1| and permitting the shaft |18 to be removed from the brackets |1I.

The cutting mechanism is operated through rods |11, to which the forked brackets |1| are fastened, by bell crank levers |18, Fig. 1, mounted on shaft |31. Bell crank levers |18 are actuated through rod` |19 from bell crank lever |80 engaging by means of roller |8| with cam |82. In

order to enable the cutting of the paper by hand,

in adjusting the machine, etc., the upper end of rod |19 engaging with lever |18 is equipped with a housed spring |83, Fig. l, which permits lever |18 to be operated independently of the position of cam |82. For hand cutting a hand lever |88 is mounted on shaft |31. The only adjustment necessary in this paper feed and cutting device is the adjustment for different lengths of paper required by dilerent sizes of loaves or other articles. This adjustment is performed by simply varying the attachment point of connecting rodV |35 on lever |36 by means of the screw adjustment on lever |36. All other parts remain in their fixed position.

'I'he web W is fed over the cutting table |66 and under the open knife |68 into a paper guide |85 mounted on the lifter |08 and through guide |85 into a second paper guide |86 mounted on the frame of the machine. After a length of paper suilicient for wrapping one package has been fed into the guides and |86, the web W is cut, leaving the wrapper blank B in the guides |85 and |86.

Paper guide |85, Figs. 5 and 6, has a bottom guide roller |81 to which, upon the descent of the lifter, the paper is held by a clamp roller |88 pivoted on an arm |89 mounted on stud |90. The latter is operated through a lever |9| by a rod |92 fastened to an arm |93 pivoted to a rod |94 tensioned by a spring on rod |94 to cause the roller |88 to clamp the paper and equipped with a rol1er`|95 which engages with a guide bar |96 when the lifter is in its upmost position, thereby lifting roller |88 and allowingl the web W to pass freely, Fig. 5. Whenever the lifter moves downward and roller leaves guide bar |96, roller |88 clamps the paper blank B to roller |81, Fig. 6. The lifter plate |08 is equipped with a guide roller |91 and two lifter lugs |98 carrying lifter screws |99. While lifter |08 is in its uppermost position, Fig. 5, screws |99 engage with lugs 200 thereby lifting levers 20| carrying a clamp roller 202 pivoted on studs 203 carried by the levers 20|. The levers 20| are pivoted on studs 204 mounted in a bracket 205 supported by side frames 20 and 2|. Bracket 205 carries another guide roller 206 pivoted on stud 201. While the levers 20|.are raised, the paper web W passes into paper guide |86 between rollers 202 and 206. As soon as lifter |08 descends and screws |99 dlsengage from lugs 200, clamp roller 202 will fall on roller 206, thereby clamping the paper between them. The paper blank B 'then is held tightly between rollers 202 and 206 While the lifter |08 descends and is partly drawn out of paper guide |85 from between rollers |81 and |88 which are designed to clamp the paper With but a slight pressure, Figs. 1 to 6.

Lifter |08 carries the side tucker plates 208, Figs. 5 to 8, mounted on brackets 209 supported by rods |94 and 2 0, both slidably attached to the lifter plate |08 which carries also a yieldingly mounted bottom fold plate 2|| such as described in the patent to H. Y. Armstrong, No. 1,626,379, granted April 26, 1927. Lifter plate |08 descends t0 the level of the slicing table 83 on which level the arm 66 pushes the sliced loaf from the table 83 onto the lifter plate |08. In doing so, the loaf is pressed first against the bottom fold plate 2H, thereby clamping the paper between plate 2|| and the loaf L, and in advancing further on the lifter plate |08, the remaining end of the paper blank B in the guide |85 is drawn out from between the rollers |81 and |88 and folded around the bottom of the loaf, Fig. 7, and the sides of the wrapper are tucked by plates 208 which then hold the slices together. When the loaf has reached the position shown in Fig. 7, the pusher arm 66 recedcs and lifter |08 ascends, thereby laying the portion of blank B between the loaf and rollers 202 and 206 over the top of the loaf. In order to secure smooth and straight folding of the paper over the top of the loaf, a folder loop 2|2, Fig. 9, which extends across the blank, is moved downward. Folder loop 2|2 is mounted on lugs 2|3 which are fastened to shaft 2|4 actuated by a lever 2|5 connected through a rod 2|6 to a bell crank lever 2|1, Fig. l, pivoted on shaft 69. Lever 2|1 is operated through a connecting rod 2|8 from a cam lever 2|9 and pivoted on shaft, 18 and engaging with a track of cam |82. As the loaf ascends further, the paper is folded smoothly over the remaining side of the loaf. At the same time the top end folds are made by a pair of top end fold plates 220 into which the loaf is pushed in its upward motion, Figs. 12, 13, and 14. The top end fold plates 220 are so arranged as to fold the top end folds over the sides of the tucker plates 208. Thus when the lifter plate |08 reaches the level of the delivery table 22 I, which is supported by the brackets 205, the side folds and top end folds have been made. When the lifter plate reaches its uppermost position, the lifter screws |99 again raise the lever 20|, thereby disengaging clamp roller 202 from roller 206 and leaving the paper free, but at the same time the tension roller 222 clamps the paper against guide roller |91, Fig. 11, so that the paper still has tension as it is pulled over the side and bottom of the loaf as the pusher arms223 push the loaf from the lifter plate |08 onto the delivery table 22| Tension roller 222 is actuated from a toggle joint 224 pivoted on lever 20| and is operated when the latter is raised. Roller 222 is guided by levers 225 pivoted on studs 201. As the loaf advances on delivery table 22| it is pushed by the arms 223 along the side end fold plates 228 and the bottom end fold plates 221. Since waxed paper is generally used for wrapping bread, the present machine is arranged brackets 233 and 234 held by shafts 235 and 236 mounted in bearings of side frames 20 and 2|. To bracket 234 is fastened the guide bar |96 heretofore referred to. Arms 223 are equipped 15 with a lug 231 to which is fastened an endless chain 238 driven in reciprocating motion from a sprocket 239 on shaft 235 and running over an idler sprocket 240 pivoted on shaft 236. Shaft 235 carries a gear 24| actuated from a gear rack 20 242 held in engagement by a guide roller 243 on stud 244. Gear rack 242 receives its vertical reciprocating motion from a cani lever` 245 provided with a cam roller engaging in a track of double cam 63. Cam'lever 245 is pivoted at its 25 other end on drive shaft 23. From brackets 233 and 234 is resiliently suspended a floating pres-g ser plate 246 which rests on top of the outgoing loaves for the purpose of holding down the newly sealed wrapper and thus securing a smooth top and bottom fold.

From the heater table 229 the finished packages P, which have the appearance shown in Fig. I5, are pushed onto an endless delivery belt^241 driven by a roller 248 and running over an idler roller 249. Roller 248 is mounted'on a shaft 258 carrying a gear 25| driven from, a'gear .252, on shaft 56. Roller 249 is pivoted on'shaft 253 supported by lugs 254 mounted on shafts 255 supported by lugs 256 and 251. Belt 241 is supported by a table 258 held by shafts'259 and 268.

The finished packages P on the delivery belt are guided by the end supporting belts 26| driven by pulleys 262 and running over idler pulleys 263. Pulleys 262 are mounted on shafts 264 carrying bevel gears 265, driven from bevel gears 266, Fig. 2, slidably mounted on shaft 56. Shafts 264 are supported by brackets 261 mounted on supporting bars 268. On the latter are also mounted brackets 269 carrying pivots 210 for the idler pulleys 263. The supporting bars 268 also carry the top fold plates 220 by means of studs 21|, the side and bottom end fold plates 226 and 221 by means of studs 212, and the end seal plates 228 by means of studs 213. By means of lugs 214 the bars 268 furthermore carry the guide rods 215 which guide the incoming loaf on the feed table 39 and by means of brackets 216 they support the guide plates 211 for the end guide belts 26|. 'I'he object of supporting all the folder plates and guide devices of the vmachine on the bars 268 is to facilitate the adjustment of the machine for diiferent sizes of loaves, since with this arrangement only the two supporting bars 268 have to be moved in or out in accordance with the desired length of the package to automatically set al1 side end fold and guide devices. This movement is performed by turning a hand lever 218 mounted on a shaft 219 near one end of the bars 268. The latter is one half right-hand and one half left-hand threaded, each end engaging in the corresponding thread of brackets 288, and each bracket being attached to one of the supporting bars 268. Near the other end of the bars 268 another similarly threaded shaft 28| is provided which engages with brackets 282 also notch 293 6r 294, as the case may be. 285 is disengaged by moving it downward which mounted on supporting bars 268. Both shafts 219 and 28| carry sprockets 283 which are connected by a chain 284. By simply turning hand lever 218, the two shafts 219 and 28| will therefore turn in unison and move the supporting bars 268 in or out as required by the length of the articles to be wrapped.

VIn order-to make resetting of the slicer impossible'whiie the pusher arm 66 is in an advanced position, as in between the blades 86, which would cause a breakage, the machine is equipped lever 285, Figs. 16 and 17, mounted on a stud 286 I in frame 2|), to which stud is fastened another leverA 281 connected through a link 288 with a double 4lever 289 pivoted on a stud 298 and equipped witha lug 29| and a tension spring 292. Lock lever 285 engages in a notch 293 of one of the rods |81 when the slicer is in operating position, and in a notch 294 when the slicer is in nonoperative position, so that the moving of the slicing device from one positionl to the other is possible only after disengaging lever 285 from either The lever is done by depressing lever 289. The lug 29| of i the latter engages with a cam 295 provided with a slot 296, so that the lever 289 can be depressed only when the slot 296 of cam 295 registers with By timing the cam 295 so that this registration takes place when the pusher arm 66 is in its starting position, the adjustment of the slicer is therefore made impossible in any other position of the pusher arm. As will be seen from examination of Figs. 16 and 17, when the lever 285 is riding on the round part of rail |0|, that is when it is not in either one of the notches 293 and 294, then the lug 29| will be depressed into the notch 296 in the cam 295 which is secured to the main cam shaft 38, so that operation of the, wrapping mechanism as a whole will be prevented, except when the slicer is either completely in or completely out of operating position. One particular way of securing this result has been shown and described, but it is obvious that the same result can be obtained in various ways. Applicant, therefore, does not Wish to be limited to the -particular formshown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with an article lifter having a guide for wrapping material, of a wrapper feed for feeding a, length of wrapping material through said guide, means for raising and lowering said lifter, means for holding a portion of the wrapping material stationary while said lifter is being lowered to partially withdraw the wrapping material from said guide, mechanism for pushing an article into the portion of the material withdrawn from said guide and onto said lifter while the latter is in its lowered position to partially enwrapthe wrapping material about the circumference of the article, means acting to complete the circumferential enwrapping of the article, and folder structure for folding the end flaps of the wrapping material to complete the wrapping of the article.

2. 'I'he combination with an article lifter having a guide for wrapping material, of a wrapper feed for feeding a length of wrapping material through said guide, means for raising and lowering said lifter, means for holding a portion of the wrapping material stationary'while said lifter is being lowered to partially withdraw the wrapping material from said guide, mechanism for pushing an article into the portion of the material withdrawn from said guide and onto said lifter while the latter is in its lowered position to partially enwrap the wrapping material about the circumference of the article, means acting to complete the circumferential enwrapping of the article, and folder structure for folding the end flaps of the mapping material to complete the wrapping of the article, said guide being secured to said lifter underneath the same.

3. The combination with an article lifter having a guide for wrapping material, of a wrapper feed for feeding a length of wrapping material through said guide, means for raising and lowering said lifter, means for holding a portion of the wrapping material stationary while said lifter is being lowered to partially withdraw the wrapping material from said guide, mechanism for pushing an article into the portion of the material withdrawn from said guide and onto said lifter while the latter is in its lowered position to partially enwrap the wrapping material about the circumference of the article, means acting to complete the circumferential enwrapping of the article, and folder structure for folding the end flaps of the wrapping material to complete the wrapping of the article, said wrapper feed including a pair of feed rolls cooperating to feed the wrapping material, a shaft supporting one of said rolls, means for driving said shaft in one direction, pivoted bearing brackets, a shaft on which the other feed roll is mounted having its ends supported by said brackets, intermeshing gears on said feed roll shafts, and means for swinging the brackets to separate the feed rolls and permit the end of a strip of wrapping material to be inserted between the feed rolls.

4. The combination with an article lifter having a guide for wrapping material, of a wrapper feed for feeding a length of Wrapping material through said guide, means for raising and lowering said lifter, means for holding a-portion of the wrapping material stationary while said lifter is being lowered to partially withdraw the wrapping material from said guide, mechanism for pushing an article into the portion of the material withdrawn from said guide and onto said lifter while the latter is in its lowered position to partially enwrap the wrapping material about the circumference of the article, means acting to complete the circumferential enwrapping of the article, and folder structure for folding the end naps of the wrapping material to complete the wrapping of the article, said means for holding a portion of the wrapping material stationary including a guide roller, a clamp roller adapted to clamp the wrapping material to said guide roller, levers supporting said clamp roller and provided with lugs, lifter screws carried by said lifter to engage said lugs and separate said rollers when said lifter is in its upper position to permit the wrapping material to be fed between said rollers and then clamped therebetween when said lifter is lowered.

5. The combination with an article lifter having a guide for wrapping material, of a wrapper feed for feeding a length of wrapping material through said guide, means for raising and lowering said lifter, means for holding a portion of the wrapping material stationary while said lifter is being lowered to partially withdraw the Wrapping material from said guide, mechanism for pushing an article into the portion of the material withdrawn from said guide and onto said lifter while the latter is in its lowered position to ,partially enwrap the wrapping material about the circumference of the article, means acting to complete the circumferential enwrapping of the flaps of the wrapping material to complete the wrapping of the article, said mechanism including a reciprocating plunger, and said lifter having a yieldingly mounted bottom A fold plate against which the wrapping material is clamped by an article being pushed and side tucker plates supported by said lifter and adapted to tuck the sides of the wrapping material as the article is pushed onto said lifter.

6. Thecombination with an article lifter having a guide for wrapping material, of a wrapper feed for feeding a length of wrapping material through said guide, means for raising and lowering said lifter, means for holding a portion of the wrapping material stationary while said lifter is being lowered to partially withdraw the wrapping material from said guide, mechanism for pushing an article into the portion of the material withdrawn from said guide and onto said lifter while the latter is in its lowered position to partially enwrap the wrapping material about lifter folds the strip of wrapping material over the remaining side of the article.

7. The combination with an article lifter having a guide for wrapping material, of a wrapper feed for feeding a length of wrapping material through said guide, means for raising and lowering said lifter, means for holding a portion of the wrapping material stationary while said lifter is being lowered to partially withdraw the wrapping material from said guide, mechanism for pushing an article into the portion of the material withdrawn from said guide and onto said lifter while the latter is in its lowered Position to partially enwrap the wrapping material about the circumference of the article, means acting to complete the circumferential enwrapping of the article, and folder structure for folding the end flaps of the wrapping material to complete the wrapping of the article, said folder structure including top end fold plates, side end fold plates, bottom end fold plates, and adjustable supporting bars on which said plates are mounted.

8. The combination with an article lifter having a guide for wrapping material, of means for raising and lowering said lifter, and means for clamping the wrapping material in said guide.

9. 'I'he combination with an article lifter having a guide for wrapping material, of means for raising and lowering said lifter, and means for clamping the wrapping material in said guide, said means for clamping the wrapping material including a clamp roller, an arm pivoted on said lifter and carrying said roller, a rod carried by said lifter, a tensioned arm on said rod connected to said pivoted arm to cause'it to clamp the wrapping material, and a guide bar arranged to engage said tensioned arm when said lifter is in its raised position to cause said clamp roller to release the wrapping material.

10. In a combined slicing and wrapping machine, the combination with means for forwarding articles to be sliced and wrapped, of slicing means, means actuatedby engagement with an article on said forwarding means to feed a predetermined length of material from a `reel of wrapping material, means for severing the web of wrapping material at a suitable distance 'from its leading end to form a 'Wrapper blank, means for positioning the severed wrapper blank to be engaged` by a sliced article, mechanism for pushing an article lfrom said forwarding means through' said slicing means into engagement with said Wrapper blank to` partially enwrap it about the circumference of the sliced article, means acting to complete the circumferential enwrapping of the article, and means for folding the end flaps of the wrapper blank to completeV the wrapping of the sliced article.

11. In a combined slicing and wrapping machine, the combination with means for forwarding articles to be sliced and wrapped, of slicing means, means actuated by engagement with an article on said forwarding means to feed a predetermined length of material from a reel of wrapping material, means for severing the web of wrapping material at a suitable distance from itsleading end to form a Wrapper blank, means for ypositioning the severed Wrapper blank to be engaged by a sliced article, mechanism for pushingan article from said forwarding means through said slicing means into engagement with said wrapper blank to partially enwrap it about the circumference of the sliced article, means acting to complete the circumferential enwrapping of the article, and means for folding the end flaps of the wrapper blank to .complete the wrapping of the sliced article, said forwarding means including a substantially horizontal conveyor,'a reciprocating elevator for receiving articles'directly from said conveyor at one level and lifting them to a delivery level.

12. In a combined slicing and Wrappmg machine, the combination with means for forwarding articles to be sliced and wrapped, of slicing means,means actuated by engagement with an `article on said forwarding means to feed a predetermined length of material from a reel of wrapping material, means for severing the web of wrapping material ata suitable distance from its leading'end to form a wrapper blank, means for positioning the severed Wrapper blank to be engaged by a sliced article, mechanism for pushing l,an article from saidv forwarding means through said slicing means into engagement with said Wrapper blank to partially enwrapit about the circumference of the sliced article, means acting to complete thc circumferential enwrapping of the article, and means for folding the end flaps of the wrapper blank to complete the Wrapping vof the sliced article, said means for feeding the wrapping material including a pair of cooperating feed rolls, a rotating drive shaft,

v mechanism for driving said feed rolls from said drive shaft, and a feeler arranged to engagethe advancing articles in said forwarding means and connected to said mechanism to control the same.

13. In a combined slicing and wrapping machine, the combination with means for forwarding articles to be sliced and wrapped, of slicing means, means actuated by engagement with an article on said forwarding means to feed a predetermined length vof material from a reel of Wrapping material, means for severing the web of wrapping material at a suitable distance from its leading end to form a wrapper blank, means aosaens for positioning the severed wrapperblank to be engaged by a sliced article, mechanism for pushing an article from said forwarding means through said slicing means into engagement with said wrapper blank to partially enwrap it about the circumference of the sliced article, meansv acting to complete the circumferential enwrapping of the article, and means for folding'the end flaps of the wrapper blank to complete the wrapping of the sliced article, said 4severing means including a ledger plate, a knife, a cam,

means for rotating said cam, mechanism actuated r by said cam to cause'said knife to cut 01T the wrapping material on. said ledger plate, /said mechanism including a yieldable connection, and manually'operable means for actuating said knife to sever the Wrapping material when it is desired to cut the wrapping'materlal while the rotation of said cam has stopped.

14. In a combined slicing and wrapping machine, the combination with means for forwarding articles to be sliced and wrapped, of slicing means, means actuated by engagement with an article on said forwarding means to feed a predetermined length of material froma reel of wrapping material, means for severing the web of Wrapping material at a suitable distance from its leading end to form a wrapper blank, means for positioning the severed wrapper blank to be engaged by a sliced article, mechanism for pushing an article from said forwarding means through .said slicing means into engagement with said wrapper blank to partially enwrap it about the circumference of the sliced article, means acting to complete the circumferential enwrapping of the article, and means for folding the end aps of the wrapper blank to complete the wrapping of the sliced article, said slicing means including a' folding means arranged at levels higher than said article conveyor, a wrapper feed, means for receiving the articles from said article conveyor and transferring them to said slicer and folding means, and a delivery conveyor arranged to receive the sliced and wrapped articles 'from said folding means and carry them to a point where they can be removed by the same operator that feeds the article conveyor.

16. Means for folding and. heat sealing the endsof a wrapper enclosing an article and having its end flaps overhanging the ends of thearticle, comprising a pair of supporting bars, means for relatively adjusting said bars, folding plates for folding the top, side and bottomend flaps of the wrapper mounted on each of Asaid bars, a heater plate carried by each of said bars and adapted Y to heat seal the folded ends `of the wrapper, an

endless supporting belt carried by each of said bars and adapted to engage the ends of the nished packages to guide them, and adjustable means for driving said belts, whereby the folding plates, heater plate and endless belts may be simultaneously adjusted.

17. The combination with means for folding the overhanging end flaps of a wrapper enclosing an article, of mechanism for moving the article through said means, said mechanism including a pair of sprockets, a chain running over said sprockets, a gear xedly connected to one of said sprockets, a reciprocating rack meshing with said gear, and a pusher carried by the lower run of said chain and adapted t advance the package` through said folding means.

18. In a wrapping and slicing machine, the combination with article wrapping means, of article slicing means, and mechanism for moving said slicing means in and out of position to cooperate with said wrapping means. y

19. In a wrapping and slicing machine, the combination with article wrapping means, of article slicing means, and mechanism for moving said slicing means in and out of position to cooperate with said wrapping means, said mechanism including rails mounting said slicer.

20. In a wrapping and slicing machine, the combination with article wrapping means, of article slicing means, and mechanism for moving said slicing means in and out of position to cooperate with said wrapping means, said wrapping means and said slicing means each having guides acting on opposite ends of the articles, and said mechanism including devices supporting said slicer for movement into and out of a position in which the Wrapping and slicing guides are in alignment.

21. In a wrapping and slicing machine, the combination with article wrapping means, of article slicing means, and mechanism for moving said slicing means in and out of position to cooperate with said wrapping means, and means for lockingsaid slicing means in position.

22. In a wrapping and slicing machine, the combination with article wrapping means, of article slicing means, mechanism for moving said slicing means in and out of position to Vcooperate with said wrapping means, means for locking said slicing means in position, and devices connected to the wrapping means for preventing movement of the slicer into wrapping position when the wrapping machine parts are in interfering position.

23. The combination with an article lifter, of means for feeding 'and cutting a Wrapper sheet, and means including devices on the lifter for spreading the cut wrapper sheet in a generally vertical direction, and devices for pushing an article in a generally horizontal direction into the outspread sheet.

24. The combination with an article lifter, of means for feeding and cutting a wrapper sheet, and means including devices on the lifter for spreading the cut wrapper sheet in a generally vertical direction, and devices for pushing an article in a generally horizontal direction into the outspread sheet. said spreading means including a, clamp arranged to act on one end of the cut sheet.

25. 'I'he combination-with a vertically reciprocable article lifter, of end folders mounted on said lifter, means for pushing an article onto said lifter and between said folders, and means for spreading a cut wrapper between said article and said lifter prior to movement of the article onto the lifter.

26. The combination with bread wrapping means, of a. bread slicing unit, devices for feeding bread loaves to said unit and thence to the wrapping means, and mechanism mounting said unit for movement in and out of slicing position, to

adapt the machine to wrap sliced or unsliced bread as desired.

27. The combination with bread wrapping means, of a bread slicing unit, devices for feeding bread loaves to said unit and thence to the wrapping means, and mechanism slidably mounting said unit for movement in and out of slicing position, to'adapt the machine to wrap sliced or unsliced bread as desired.

28. The combination with bread wrapping means, of a. bread slicing unit, devices for feeding bread loaves to said unit and thence to the wrapping means, mechanism mounting said unit for movement in and out of slicing position, to adapt the machine to wrap sliced or unsliced bread as desired, and rotatable screw means connected to the wrapping machine and the unit operable to cause said movement.

29. In a, bread slicing and wrapping machine, the combination with a bread slicer, of an infeed for continuously advancing bread loaves in spaced relation to said slicer, bread elevating means on the opposite side of said slicer from said infeed, bread wrapping means cooperating with said elevating means for wrapping the Y bread loavesl and a delivery conveyor for said wrapped loaves parallel to said infeed and passing over said slicer to deliver the loaves at a point near that at which the loaves entered the machine.

30. In a wrapping machine, the combination with an article lifter having a guide for wrapping material, and means cooperating with said lifter and guide to circumferentially enwrap an article in said material.

31. In a wrapping machine, the combination with an article lifter having a, vertical reciprocating movement, of a relatively stationary clamp, means for feeding a length of wrapping material to said clamp, means on the lifter coacting with said clamp and engaging said wrapping material to spread the same as the result of movement of the lifter, means for ypushing an article into the wrapper spread by said lifter and onto said lifter while the lifter is in a position below said clamp whereby the paper is draped over the top of said article as the lifter moves upwardly, and means for pushing the article oi said lifter and over said clamp to complete the circumferential enwrapping of the article in said wrapper.

32. In a wrapping machine, the combination with' an article lifter having an up and down motion, a wrapping material feed, .and means coacting with said feed and said lifter to spread the wrapper sheet as a. result of the downward movement of said lifter.

33. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a rst feedway leading into the machine, of a second feedway extending in a plane seamantially parallel to the rst way on a different level for feeding articles out of the machine, a 'third feedway also extending in a plane substantially parallel to the rst and second feedway but offset in a direction perpendicular to its length from either, a vslicing means cooperating with said third feedway to slice articles thereon, a pusher for pushing articles along said third feedway and through said Slicer, and means for successively moving the articles from the forward end of the rst feedway onto said third feedway in front of said pusher for movement thereby through said slicer, and means for Wrapping the sliced article and transferring it to said second way.

34. In an article slicing and wrapping machine, a pair of spaced side frames extending lengthwise of the machine, article wrapping means mounted between said side frames, an article slicing unit,

one of said side frames having an opening therein to admit said unit, and means mounting said l slicer for movement through said opening transversely of said frame into and out of a position in which it cooperates with said wrapping and transferring means to slice the articles.

35. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a vertically reciprocable lifter, of means for pushing an article onto said lifter, mechanism for supporting a cut sheet of wrapping material in vertical position between said pushing means and said lifter, whereby said pushing means will push an article into the sheet and onto said lifter, and folders for folding in the forward edge portion of the sheet on the ends of the article as the article is pushed onto said lifter, said mechanism including a gripper supporting the sheet by its upper edge.

36. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a vertically reciprocable lifter, of means for pushing an article onto said lifter, mechanism for supporting a cut sheet of wrapping material in vertical position between said pushing means and said lifter, whereby said pushing means will push an article into the sheet and onto said lifter, and folders for folding in the forward edge portion of the sheet on end of the article as the article is pushed onto said lifter, said mechanism including a gripper supporting the sheet by its upper edge, and means holding said folders stationary dln'ing the folding operation.

37. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a vertically reciprocable lifter, of means for pushing an article onto said lifter, mechanism for supporting a cut sheet of wrapping material in vertical position between said pushing means and said lifter whereby said pushing means will push an article into the sheet and onto said 40 lifter, said mechanism including a gripper supporting the sheet by its upper edge.

38. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a lifter table, of means for pushing an article onto said lifter table, means for feeding wrapper material from a continuous web, means for cutting a wrapper length from said web while in one plane, means for carrying the cut length to a position in Vanother plane between the lifter table and said pushing means whereby said pushing means will push the article into the sheet and onto the lifter.

39. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a vertically reciprocable lifter, of means for pushing an article onto said lifter, mechanism for supporting a cut sheet of wrapping material between said pushing means and said lifter whereby said pushing means will push an article into the sheet and onto said lifter, and means for wrapping thesheet circumferentially about w the article, and successively folding in the i'orward end aps on the ends of the article, folding down the upper end iiaps on the forward end' aps, folding in the rear end aps on the upper end aps and lastly folding up the bottom end flaps on the rear end aps.

40. Bread slicing means including a slicer frame, oscillating knife frames carried by said slicer frame, slicing knives supported on said knife frame, a motor carried by said slicer frame, eccentrics mounted on the shaft of said motor and connected to said knife frames to oscillate the same, manually operable means for moving said slicer frame in and out of operative position, and means for locking said Slicer frame in operative or non-operative position.

41. In a wrapping and slicing machine, the combination with article wrapping means, of article slicing means. mechanism moving said slicing'means into and out of operative position to cooperate with said wrapping means, and devices coacting with said slicer and said wrapping means to prevent operation of said wrapping means whensaid slicing unit is in intermediate position, not fully in or out of operating position.

42. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a vertically reciprocating lifter, of means for pushing an article onto the lifter when the latter is in lowered position, mechanism for supporting wrapping material in vertical position between said pushing means and said lifter, whereby said pushing means will push the article into said material and onto the lifter, said mechanism including a. gripper holding the material by its upper edge and positioned to permit the article to pass beneath it and onto said lifter, and a device arranged to exert,l pressure from above on a portion of wrapper material between the gripper and the article to keep the wrapper material under tension and to drape the same about the article as the lifter moves to its upper position.

43. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a vertically reciprocable lifter, of means for pushing an article onto .said lifter when the latter is in lowered position, mechanism for supporting wrapping material in vertical position between said pushing means and said lifter whereby said pushing means will push. the article into said material and onto said lifter, said mechanism including a gripper holding the material by its upper edge and positioned to permit the article to pass beneath it and onto said lifter, and a device arranged to exert pressure from above on a portion of the wrapping material between the gripper and the article to drape the wrapper material about the article as the lifter `moves to its upper position. said device including a vertically movable elongated bar extending alongside the lifter.

LES'I'ER. FERENCI. 

